A greener future for the cement and concrete industry

The cement and concrete sector is one of the most energy intensive of all manufacturing industries, meaning production managers have a significant opportunity to make considerable savings.

As a result of the production and transportation of raw and processed materials, there is a negative environmental impact associated with this essential industry. Recent years have seen a drive towards sustainability, but process managers remain under pressure to maximise energy saving and reduce carbon footprint.

Cement and concrete production facilities use a range of electric motor-driven equipment, including:

Dust collectors

Mixers

Conveyors

Powder feeding

Water and admixture pumps

The opportunity for optimising these processes in order to reduce energy consumption is huge. Installing the latest energy-efficient motors, pumps and fans goes some way to cutting carbon emissions, yet it’s when this equipment is paired with variable-speed drives that the full potential can be realised.

Compared to traditional motor control methods such as throttling, a VSD allows equipment to use only as much power as the application demands, with savings of up to 60% achievable. For example, a pump running at 50% speed consumes one-eighth of the energy compared to one running at full speed.

By making such significant energy savings, companies within the cement and concrete industry can not only enjoy reduced energy costs, they are also able to position themselves as a sustainable business and enhance public perception of their organisation.

As a founder member of the Authorized Value Provider scheme, Gibbons is approved to stock, distribute and offer local value-added support for ABB drives. The benefits enjoyed by our clients include packaged solutions, state-of-the-art energy-efficient products and access to an advanced logistics network.

To discuss the benefits of using variable-speed drives in your business, call Alan Roberts on 07966 468430 or email alan@gibbonsgroup.co.uk.